#closetheschools is trending

[Allthestarsarecloser]

I work at a university on the front line seeing students 1-1 (I work in student support) and have continued to see students this term at a distance & with measures in place. ALL the students I have seen have been grateful for the human contact.

I also have 2 kids in primary and secondary. I want them to stay in school as my eldest had to have counselling after the last lockdown.

Aibu to say that schools need to stay open and I say that as someone on the front line.

YABU - they should shut
YANBU- they need to stay open

It’s 136k now. In 6 minutes.

@AnoDeLosMuertos

There’s a petition to shut schools that’s gotten nearly 135,000 signatures so far...

And?

*06ForthPlace

Are parents not worried about the health and safety of their own children?
As an LA we've been sued by parents for bump on their child's head, yet with this it seems parents are prepared to take a risk on their child's health.*

Of course not, Covid is statistically proven to be practically no risk to any healthy child or young person. Our kids are far more likely to run over on the way to school, murdered by a random crazy person, struck by lightening, die in an accident in the home or develop terminal cancer.

None of those things are very likely but some children will be unfortunate. Covid death of a child is far less likely than any of those unlikely scenarios, I'm not going to worry about it and hide my kid away because a pile of hysterical people on the Internet get into a tizzy.

We need to protect medically vulnerable people and take appropriate precautions but the hysterical mobs crying wolf about how we're all going to die are doing huge harm because their ridiculous exaggerations aren't true.

@CouldBeOuting

I’m not aware that my union has ever called for schools to close. I would not support a call for them to close. My school did not close and I worked through the Easter holiday and May half term break ... including the bank holidays with no extra pay.

There is no social distancing at school and we have specifically been told we CANNOT wear masks unless dealing with a symptomatic child.

My colleague and I work in a very small office. We could just about manage 2 metres apart if I sat on the windowsill and she sat in the doorway but in reality we are less than a metre apart at our desks and other members of staff have to brush past our chairs on a regular basis.

I would like to feel safer but I don’t want schools to close.

If you’re in a union and you receive all the benefits of being in a union e.g. help when things go tits up in the workplace, you must follow what the union mandates when times aren’t so cushty. You cannot pick and choose which union rules you follow, as you make it hard for the members who are following the rules. I don’t think being in a union is for you.

We need to protect medically vulnerable people and take appropriate precautions but the hysterical mobs crying wolf about how we're all going to die are doing huge harm because their ridiculous exaggerations aren't true.

How exactly are vulnerable people going to be protected though? It's quite a significant proportion of the population and some are of working age, including some NHS staff and teachers. Some will be parents. How are you going to make sure they don't get it if the prevalence is very high in the rest of the population? Also, how will people get treated for other conditions if the NHS is overrun and staff are off sick.

I don’t want schools to close, but cases are spreading like wildfire in schools - and keeping them open whilst locking everything down is just so redundant in my opinion.

I’d rather schools opened on a rota tbh to allow for better distancing but keep children in schools.

I don’t know what’s best though - I am a teacher and I am happy to work in schools for now, even with the shit and limited protection we have.

I'm torn on this. I know how much I struggled wfh with a toddler for 6 months, and my friends older children didn't fare well out of school for so long, so I do believe schools should be the last thing to close. The numbers aren't good though so perhaps closing secondary schools for a time may be the best compromise. I'm in Wales and it will be interesting to see the effect of the firebreak lockdown.

Disgusting behaviour of adults, many of whom defend their need to go and play golf, go to the pub, go on holiday and see their parents. Children were bottom of the pile last lockdown, now it’s time to protect them and put them first!!!

I am one of those disgusting adults - though haven't played golf, gone to the pub, gone on holiday, seen my parents, in fact have not been out or to any shops since March. This has been to protect my husband who is CEV and my disabled adult son with disabilities who is vulnerable. And for me my husband's life has been the priority. Although I can make the decision to home school my own children, we are also foster carers we have no choice but to send the children in our care to school or college (and all associated transport) which of course means my husband is more at risk. Everyone thrived throughout the first lockdown. so in my heart, no matter how disgusting others believe I am, I really wish the schools would close. I have spend my entire adult life caring for others with disabilities and complex physical and behavioural needs, but this crisis has made me, for the first time, consider my husband's life first...and I guess from the reaction of others that makes me a very selfish person.

Thanks LastGoldenDaysOfSummer no tin hat needed. The NEU Twitter post screenshot above shows perfectly that there is a concerted effort to shut schools.

@Belladonna12

We need to protect medically vulnerable people and take appropriate precautions but the hysterical mobs crying wolf about how we're all going to die are doing huge harm because their ridiculous exaggerations aren't true.

How exactly are vulnerable people going to be protected though? It's quite a significant proportion of the population and some are of working age, including some NHS staff and teachers. Some will be parents. How are you going to make sure they don't get it if the prevalence is very high in the rest of the population? Also, how will people get treated for other conditions if the NHS is overrun and staff are off sick.

You see, I wouldn't describe the Government's scientific advisers, or the ONS/ Imperial/ UCL research teams as hysterical mobs, but that's just me.

@Susanwouldntlikeit

I am a secondary teacher and so is my husband. If you can't see the necessity of keeping schools open for the sake of children, then I genuinely think you are in the wrong profession. Thankfully, the police, NHS, Prison officers and other key workers seem to be able to accept that the services they offer are necessary. Same here secondary teacher, no school age kids do no skin in that game, but immensely grateful my own children had a good education and I want that for all children -my colleagues feel the same, the shouty minority of teachers and union leaders v CNN labouring for closure are a disgrace and should look for an alternative career.

you are amazing.

@Susanwouldntlikeit thank you. I see teachers as core to society as key workers. The govt need to look after you and all teachers rather than close schools. The teachers at DC school seem very anti them closing again. Personally I don't think my ds mental health could cope again...even in the 24 hrs since boris's announcement he has been a different stressed child again.

I find it interesting to note the condescending tone of many of the posters advocating for schools to close. Putting us silly mums in our place for wanting young children to receive an education

Why does England need to close schools when Wales, NI, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, France, have not or only for a short period of time? Adding a week onto half term (or say the Christmas holidays) is one thing, closing for a month (or six) is wholly unacceptable.

What makes pupils and staff in England so much more vulnerable than those elsewhere.

This is taking English exceptionalism to new limits.

I really fear that the government is going to bow to the pressure. I hope you'll all be satisfied with the damage caused to (most) children and teenagers when it happens.

Because Boris missed the boat to do what they have just done n Wales and NI??

Maybe start a petition of

Will u have a covid vaccine.

Most ppl say no they wouldnt which then leads me to say what's the point of a lockdown

I hope they don't u turn over this , but it's a nightmare trying to balance a lockdown with schools being open.
I'm glad not in charge of this as it's not easy.

I think most people signing the petition are those with no children. They haven't experienced the effect lockdown had on the children and their families. They have had their freedom in their childhood but sign a petition to put our kids through more suffering

We want the kids at school to learn and socialise. My daughter is 6 tomorrow and still cannot read. I didnt send her in the summer however I shell send her in the keyworker group this time as she needs her education

reneeroi

Of course not, Covid is statistically proven to be practically no risk to any healthy child or young person. Our kids are far more likely to run over on the way to school, murdered by a random crazy person, struck by lightening, die in an accident in the home or develop terminal cancer

And you trust the data?
I work with schools, we have children very ill, we have children with serious long term complications. God forbid it might be one of yours, but these are people's children. I'm surprised at the relaxed attitudes given the response of some parents when their child does have an accident at school.

You are also forgetting the adults, staff, families. Huge health complications for some.

We want the kids at school to learn and socialise. My daughter is 6 tomorrow and still cannot read. I didnt send her in the summer however I shell send her in the keyworker group this time as she needs her education

Please don't worry, research supports beginning to read later on the continent children don't read till much later than our children.
They start later and fly, rather than start early, slog at it for years and often be put off. Your daughter will be fine! (@Christmasfairy2020)

And you trust the data?
I work with schools, we have children very ill, we have children with serious long term complications. God forbid it might be one of yours, but these are people's children. I'm surprised at the relaxed attitudes given the response of some parents when their child does have an accident at school.

Of course, the statistics speak for themselves. Children don't even have symptoms in most cases. I'm not going to deprive my kid of an education because of a 0.00001% chance she might get a particularly bad dose and die.